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Sample Book review: A Wrinkle in Time
Summary
Madeleine L'Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, the first in what is later known as the Time Quartet, is the story about 3 children –Meg and her younger brother Charles Wallace, and Meg’s friend and school senior Calvin – and their interstellar quest to find Meg’s father. Along the way they make friends with three unusual witches and discover the presence of a powerful and expanding evil which dominates Camazotz, the planet which Meg’s father is held captive. They eventually rescue her father, but not before encountering some serious opposition and falling temporarily into the clutches of IT, the manifestation of evil in Camazotz.
Opinion
Published in 1962, A Wrinkle in Time (AWIT) was rejected by many publishers, citing that it was “too different”, before finding appreciation in Farrar, Straus & Giroux, who eventually published it despite not having a line of children’s books at that time.
It is possible that it was given that label because aside from the common themes of love, friendship and family, there Madeleine also included several controversial elements. First and foremost is the novel’s concept of evil. While conventional ideas of evil were about chaotic, senseless harm and destruction or mediated actions resulting in the benefit of some without regard to the cost of others, AWIT’s concept of evil was very specific – it was conformity. In Camazotz, everything is planned and synchronised, all decisions made by its ruler, represented by the Man With Red Eyes. Differences are not tolerated, those who are not in line are “rehabilitated” with what appears to be torture, while others who cannot follow, due to illness or any other reason, are “put to sleep”. All these are done on the pretext of working towards a common good.
Thus Madeleine may be presenting a commentary on Communism* (with its ideals of an equal – some say homogenous- society) as evil. This is further reinforced by the fact that it is Meg, perhaps the most unlikely of the main characters because of her flaws, saves the day. It is suggested that it was her flaws, which were strengthened, was what kept her alive in the first place. This contrasted with the perfect, equal society that Communists exhort.
Of course, there are other meanings read from this representation of evil. Madeleine is Christian, and the book clearly shows that. Despite disagreements about the nature and purposes of God’s gifts among theologians and Christian scholars, it is widely agreed that free will is one of His greatest. This free will is discussed in depth, since from this comes the inherent messiness of human society. The alternative – subordination of free will – is considered evil.
Equally controversial was her inclusion of large chunks of biblical quotes (even the final chapter is titled after a quote in the New testament), and descriptions of angelic creatures that was not quite the appearance of the convention image of angels. There was even a location named after an angel – Uriel. This probably drew criticism amongst more conservative Christians at that time, not to mention those who are not of the faith, though the book’s main market is predominantly those countries whose population is mostly Christian.
The use of these images and text, combined at what was then (and now) an exciting field of scientific research – quantum mechanics – created a novel that had both elements of science fiction and a blend of magical fantasy, hence its “difference”. While this is not unique, the combination along with its concept of evil, particularly written as a children’s book, probably made a number of editors uncomfortable.
Merits
The book discusses the value of family, contrasting what is perhaps an ideal, loving family of the Murrys (Meg, Charles Wallace, her mother Kate and her father Alexander) with that of her friend Calvin O’Keefe, whose family is less than ideal. While a warm and loving family, the Murrys have to deal with the mystery of their missing father, and fend off rumours of a father leaving with another woman. Calvin, however, has a family who has provide less than adequate care, but Calvin is neither maladjusted nor does he resent his family. This serves as a lesson to young minds about life – it is more what we do than what we are given that counts.
The book also considers the concept of giftedness. Every one of the main characters (and almost all of the other secondary characters for that matter) has some exceptional ability. Calvin is smart and athletic and, along with Kate and Alex (Mr. and Mrs. Murry) possesses empathy and emotional strength. Meg, like her father, is mathematically inclined. Her twin brothers are good at sports. Charles Wallace is the most exceptional, blessed with great intellect and ability to read minds. None of them are perfect however. Meg is the stereotypical teen, who is highly sensitive and insecure. Calvin is certainly smart and empathic, but not nearly enough to carry their quest through. Mostly strikingly, their most gifted Charles Wallace falls victim to his own arrogance. Meg eventually saves the day, not by ability, but by love, demonstrating that it is not the mind, but the heart that determines what it means to be human. It reminds the gifted to not simply remain fixated on their abilities, but to remember that they are defined too, and perhaps even more so, by strength of character.
Madeleine applies an economy of words in her stories – her dialogues are no more than necessary, and she uses descriptions to bring focus to her scenes – few of her scenes are elaborate, and they serve to strengthen her point. The vocabulary is also carefully chosen, being specific and challenging (to adolescents) only when it is important. It is thus an example of how a book need not be heavily laden with abstract words and concepts to be good.
Conclusion
While this book may not be that well appreciated now, given that children’s literature has advanced rather rapidly since 1960, it was certainly an exceptional book in its time. It still deals admirably about some of its more universal themes, and can be a good lead to discussions into the nature and concept of evil, free will and conformity for young adults.
*NOTE: this was written during the cold war between russians(communism) & americans
has everyone stopped using this?
Sample Book review: A Wrinkle in Time
Summary
Madeleine L'Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, the first in what is later known as the Time Quartet, is the story about 3 children –Meg and her younger brother Charles Wallace, and Meg’s friend and school senior Calvin – and their interstellar quest to find Meg’s father. Along the way they make friends with three unusual witches and discover the presence of a powerful and expanding evil which dominates Camazotz, the planet which Meg’s father is held captive. They eventually rescue her father, but not before encountering some serious opposition and falling temporarily into the clutches of IT, the manifestation of evil in Camazotz.
Opinion
Published in 1962, A Wrinkle in Time (AWIT) was rejected by many publishers, citing that it was “too different”, before finding appreciation in Farrar, Straus & Giroux, who eventually published it despite not having a line of children’s books at that time.
It is possible that it was given that label because aside from the common themes of love, friendship and family, there Madeleine also included several controversial elements. First and foremost is the novel’s concept of evil. While conventional ideas of evil were about chaotic, senseless harm and destruction or mediated actions resulting in the benefit of some without regard to the cost of others, AWIT’s concept of evil was very specific – it was conformity. In Camazotz, everything is planned and synchronised, all decisions made by its ruler, represented by the Man With Red Eyes. Differences are not tolerated, those who are not in line are “rehabilitated” with what appears to be torture, while others who cannot follow, due to illness or any other reason, are “put to sleep”. All these are done on the pretext of working towards a common good.
Thus Madeleine may be presenting a commentary on Communism* (with its ideals of an equal – some say homogenous- society) as evil. This is further reinforced by the fact that it is Meg, perhaps the most unlikely of the main characters because of her flaws, saves the day. It is suggested that it was her flaws, which were strengthened, was what kept her alive in the first place. This contrasted with the perfect, equal society that Communists exhort.
Of course, there are other meanings read from this representation of evil. Madeleine is Christian, and the book clearly shows that. Despite disagreements about the nature and purposes of God’s gifts among theologians and Christian scholars, it is widely agreed that free will is one of His greatest. This free will is discussed in depth, since from this comes the inherent messiness of human society. The alternative – subordination of free will – is considered evil.
Equally controversial was her inclusion of large chunks of biblical quotes (even the final chapter is titled after a quote in the New testament), and descriptions of angelic creatures that was not quite the appearance of the convention image of angels. There was even a location named after an angel – Uriel. This probably drew criticism amongst more conservative Christians at that time, not to mention those who are not of the faith, though the book’s main market is predominantly those countries whose population is mostly Christian.
The use of these images and text, combined at what was then (and now) an exciting field of scientific research – quantum mechanics – created a novel that had both elements of science fiction and a blend of magical fantasy, hence its “difference”. While this is not unique, the combination along with its concept of evil, particularly written as a children’s book, probably made a number of editors uncomfortable.
Merits
The book discusses the value of family, contrasting what is perhaps an ideal, loving family of the Murrys (Meg, Charles Wallace, her mother Kate and her father Alexander) with that of her friend Calvin O’Keefe, whose family is less than ideal. While a warm and loving family, the Murrys have to deal with the mystery of their missing father, and fend off rumours of a father leaving with another woman. Calvin, however, has a family who has provide less than adequate care, but Calvin is neither maladjusted nor does he resent his family. This serves as a lesson to young minds about life – it is more what we do than what we are given that counts.
The book also considers the concept of giftedness. Every one of the main characters (and almost all of the other secondary characters for that matter) has some exceptional ability. Calvin is smart and athletic and, along with Kate and Alex (Mr. and Mrs. Murry) possesses empathy and emotional strength. Meg, like her father, is mathematically inclined. Her twin brothers are good at sports. Charles Wallace is the most exceptional, blessed with great intellect and ability to read minds. None of them are perfect however. Meg is the stereotypical teen, who is highly sensitive and insecure. Calvin is certainly smart and empathic, but not nearly enough to carry their quest through. Mostly strikingly, their most gifted Charles Wallace falls victim to his own arrogance. Meg eventually saves the day, not by ability, but by love, demonstrating that it is not the mind, but the heart that determines what it means to be human. It reminds the gifted to not simply remain fixated on their abilities, but to remember that they are defined too, and perhaps even more so, by strength of character.
Madeleine applies an economy of words in her stories – her dialogues are no more than necessary, and she uses descriptions to bring focus to her scenes – few of her scenes are elaborate, and they serve to strengthen her point. The vocabulary is also carefully chosen, being specific and challenging (to adolescents) only when it is important. It is thus an example of how a book need not be heavily laden with abstract words and concepts to be good.
Conclusion
While this book may not be that well appreciated now, given that children’s literature has advanced rather rapidly since 1960, it was certainly an exceptional book in its time. It still deals admirably about some of its more universal themes, and can be a good lead to discussions into the nature and concept of evil, free will and conformity for young adults.
*NOTE: this was written during the cold war between russians(communism) & americans
has everyone stopped using this?